Media, Globalization and Nationalism: the Case of Separate Telangana
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MEDIA, GLOBALIZATION AND NATIONALISM: THE CASE OF SEPARATE TELANGANA Sumanth Inukonda A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY May 2016 Committee: Oliver Boyd-Barrett, Advisor Stefan H. Fritsch Graduate Faculty Representative Lara Lengel Radhika Gajjala © 2016 Sumanth Inukonda All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Oliver Boyd-Barrett, Advisor Theorists of globalization tend to presume the declining centrality of nationalism as an explanatory focus for understanding global power relations. This dissertation argues that far from declining in significance, nationalism encompasses both hegemonic and counter- hegemonic, mediatized processes of power struggle, processes that draw increasingly from resources that are both internal and external to geographic domains of conflict, and in a manner that re-patterns power relations at the local, national, regional and global levels. This project examines the relationship between media, nationalism and globalization in Telangana and its relationship with marginalized groups in the region, with a particular focus on the media practices of Telangana activists such as production of pamphlets, use of online forums and access to mainstream television, radio, print media and social communication. This dissertation argues that despite not having a media of its own, and in spite of hostility of established Telugu media, the Telangana movement furthered its goals to strategic use of one-to- one and one-to-many media that operated in an oral culture. The success of the movement can be credited as much if not more, to bringing sections of Telangana society disaffected by globalization through nationalist mobilization since the mid-1990s as it could be the politically opportune moment in 2013 when the Telangana Bill was passed by the parliament. The movement is noted for being largely peaceful and employed non-violent strategies, although it can be argued that the suicides by young people were instances of self-inflicted violence. iv To my parents v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to acknowledge my parents for their undying love and support. I want to thank my mother for her daily pep talks, over Skype and in person during my field visit, which kept me going. This dissertation would not have been possible without my father’s commitment and contribution towards the Telangana cause. In addition, I am inspired by my father’s example of the pursuit of scholarship for resolving social problems. I was very fortunate to have the rare privilege of working with my advisor, Prof. Oliver Boyd-Barrett. It was largely due to his guidance that I could conceptualize the Telangana movement as a case of mediatized nationalism in the age of globalization, while several such studies continue to be understood more narrowly in terms of use of media for resistance. I would also want to thank him for his patience and kindness with which he has guided me over the past four years. I want to thank my committee, Prof. Gajjala, Prof. Lengel and Dr. Frisch for their enthusiastic contributions. Further, I thank my friend Anthony Frampton, Prof. Robin Mansell, Prof. Gonzalez, Dr. Hanasono, and Prof. Melkote for their interest in my academic development. The participants in the research deserve a special mention whose struggles as those of millions of other Telanganites made this work possible. All those mentioned above are responsible for the success of this study however, the shortcomings are only mine. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION………………………… .................................................. 1 Overview……………………………………………………………………..... ....... 1 Purpose of the Study .................................................................................................. 3 Research Questions .................................................................................................... 7 Relevance to the Field of Media and Communication ............................................... 8 History of the Telangana Movement ......................................................................... 12 Organization of the Study .......................................................................................... 18 CHAPTER II. LITERATURE REVIEW…………………… ...………………………….. 20 Nationalism in the Age of Globalization ..…………………………………………. 20 Imagining Nation ........................................................................................... 22 Postcolonial Nationalisms .............................................................................. 25 Nation-State Transformations in India........................................................... 29 Sons of the Soil Conflict ................................................................................ 31 Imperialism and Globalization ....................................................................... 34 Globalization and South Asian Diaspora ....................................................... 40 Media and Globalization ................................................................................ 44 Online Inquiry ................................................................................................ 48 Political Economy of Communication ........................................................... 51 Issues in Indian Media Systems ................................................................................. 54 Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization ............................................. 54 The Discourse of Globalization ..................................................................... 56 vii Region, Media and Politics ............................................................................ 60 Caste, Media and Politics ............................................................................... 64 Evolution of Journalistic Social Responsibility ............................................. 67 Media and Political Patronage ....................................................................... 69 Eenadu: A Case Study ................................................................................... 71 Indian Public Sphere ...................................................................................... 73 Media and Social Movements .................................................................................... 76 Reimagining Public Sphere............................................................................ 76 Citizenship and Identity ................................................................................. 76 Pluralism and Multiple Public Spheres .......................................................... 78 Approaches to Studying Social Movements .................................................. 80 Interrogating Alternative Media ................................................................... 83 Media Framing ............................................................................................... 85 Political Communication ............................................................................... 87 The Role of Intellectuals ................................................................................ 90 Conceptual Framework .............................................................................................. 93 CHAPTER III. RESEARCH STRATEGY………………………....................................... 99 Research Epistemology ……………………………………………………………….. 99 Research Design …………………………………………………………………… 103 Triangulation……………………………………………………. ................. 104 Grounded Theory ………………………………………………….. ............ 105 Discursive Conditions .................................................................................... 107 Ethnography of Everyday Life....................................................................... 109 viii Data Collection Protocols .......................................................................................... 110 Interviews ....................................................................................................... 110 Documentary Analysis ................................................................................... 113 Participant Observation .................................................................................. 116 In-Process Memos .......................................................................................... 118 Coding and Categorizing ........................................................................................... 118 Ethical Considerations ............................................................................................... 120 Reflexivity in Field Research..................................................................................... 120 Limitations of the Study............................................................................................. 122 CHAPTER IV. RESULTS AND ANALYSIS……………………………. ........................ 124 Selected Biographical Portraits………………………………………….. ................ 124 A Note on Interviews………………………………………………………………. 126 RQ1. How can the Telangana Nationalism be Interpreted in Terms of its Evolving Shape, Form, Function and Imagining? ................................................................................. 127 Legislative Perspective on Formation of States in India ………………… .. 127 Political/Partisan Considerations ………………………………………….. 132 Dominant Castes and Nationalism ................................................................